St. Swithun, Swanbourne, Buckinghamshire
Description
The church of St. Swithun is an ancient fabric of stone, consisting of chancel, clerestoried nave of three bays, north aisle, south porch, and an embattled western tower containing 6 bells: the chancel is Early English with lancet windows: the rest of the church, with the exception of the lower part of the tower, which is also Early English, may be regarded as rather Late Perpendicular: the east window was filled with stained glass by members of the Fremantle family to commemorate the golden wedding of the first Lord Cottesloe in 1874: three other stained glass windows are memorials to members of the Fremantle family: there is a memorial window to Sophia Elizabeth Barnes, d. 1859: the church contains traces of an ancient wall painting, and the interior generally seems to have been much coloured, especially in the north aisle: there is a fine brass, with effigies, to Thomas Adams and Elizabeth his wife, 1626, below are the figures of four children: a memorial to Mr. Josias Askew, who died in 1750 at the age of 94, and brasses in memory of Admiral Sir Thomas Francis Fremantle, who was in command of The Neptune at the battle of Trafalgar, and of Thomas Francis, 1st Baron Cottesloe, d. 1890, Louisa Elizabeth (Nugent) his wife, d. 1875, and other members of the family: there are several memorial tablets to members of the families of Adams and Deverell, formerly lords of the manor, and also one to the men of the parish who fell in the Great War, 1914-18: the chancel retains a double piscina and aumbry: the plain font is probably Early English: an oak screen with ringers' loft and bearing the Royal Arms, was erected in the tower arch in 1938, the inscription reading: Erected hy the parishioners of Swanbourne in memory of King George V. who entered into rest 20th January, 1936; beloved of all his peoples: the panels were a special gift in memory of Wm. Hugh Colgrove, d. 1935: the stained window placed in the chancel in 1902 is a memorial to the Rev. W. M. Myres M.A. vicar 1879-1901: in 1930 a marble tablet was erected in memory of the three younger daughters of the 1st Baron Cottesloe: the church was restored and repaired in 1864, and affords 220 sittings. Outside the church stands an obelisk mounted on a rectangular pedestal. which bears the names of all those men of the parish Who fell in the Great War, 1914-18.
Church Records
The parish register dates from the year 1565.